2nd Fleet Focus: Soft Power in South America

If this report is accurate, the impact of the USNS Comfort (A-TH 20) is much larger than anyone originally estimated, and absolutely justifies the continued investment of hospital ships in the US Navy.

USNS Comfort has accommodated 55,465 patient treatments in just the first of a four-month deployment to the Caribbean, Central and South America, and is on track to exceed the estimated 85,000 patients expected originally.

To date, Comfort’s medical and veterinarian staff has conducted 182 surgeries, 5,717 dental procedures, dispensed 16,999 pharmaceuticals, issued 3,868 eyeglasses and treated 862 animals.

The ship’s medical staff has also partnered with Project Hope - an nternational, nongovernmental heath organization - to conduct 423 training sessions for 10,240 students, including preventive medicine training for patients and health procedures training for medical providers.

I find that pretty incredible. The USNS Comfort (T-AH 20) mission isn't without its share of naysayers, including those inside the Navy who believe it is a waste of funds to send a hospital ship to South America on a mission that costs about as much as a SAG deployment, but I would be firmly on the side of those who disagree with that point of view. The US Navy with its global reach provides a unique vehicle for the United States to exercise soft power projection to places and in ways that warships simply cannot or would not be given access to. From a strategic perspective, the USNS Comfort (T-AH 20) mission is shaping up to be at least as critical to reversing US political attention to South America as the Global Fleet Station mission of HSV Swift.

I noticed earlier today that Cuba's Castro was being critical of the USNS Comfort (T-AH 20) mission, which for me was a sign that he must be getting information the mission is being successful. Otherwise why mention it at all?

Other USNS Comfort (T-AH 20) News:

• Comfort Arrives in Panama, Continues Mission (7/6/2024)
• Panamanian Doctors Operate Aboard Comfort (7/11/2024)
• Comfort Treats Thousands During Four-day Visit to Panama (7/11/2024)
• Comfort Traverses Panama Canal (7/11/2024)
• Advance Coordination Team Smooths Way for Comfort Mission (7/12/2024)

Given the lessons of the USNS Mercy (T-AH 19) last year and after seeing the statistics early on from the USNS Comfort (T-AH 20) mission this year, it seems to me a hospital ship rotation, or a USS Peleliu (LHA 5) type medical exercise rotation to a persistent Global Fleet Station is something that should be considered as part of the GFS concept. Nothing projects the American Soft Power needed in the GWOT like the US Navy medical capabilities to a region in need.